Sugar mill



May 5, 1964 R. E. BEITER ETAL SUGAR MILL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15, 1961 FIG. 2

f S v, 5 1- e rtn m MHE 0 B H. K A V r 0 M m r. m R a m J y B MIII wwun 3 flwq x]: fi 0 2 B0 0.0 5 ilk a x v a n y 5, 1964 R. E. BEITER ETAL 3,131,624

SUGAR MILL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 15, 1961 v 0; n GE Inventors: Rudolf E. Beiter Fred K. Ellis By MM their Aflorney mm mu May 5, 1964 Filed Dec. 15, 1961 FIG. 5

FIG. 6

R. E. BEITER ETAL 3,131,624

SUGAR MILL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventors:

Rudolf E. Beiter Fred K. Ellis By WJLMM their Attorney United States Patent 3,131,624 SUGAR MILL Rudolf E. Beiter and Fred K. Ellis, Honolulu, Hawaii, assignors to Honolulu Iron Works Company, Honolulu, Hawaii, a corporation of Hawaii Filed Dec. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 159,676 17 Claims. (Cl. 100-165) This invention relates to sugar mills and has for its primary object the provision of an improved plural roll sugar mill wherein the rams by which pressure is applied through one of the rolls to express juice from the sugar cane are adjustable in position laterally of the axis of that roll, thereby enabling the load applied to that roll to be aligned substantially with the resultant of the load on the other roll or rolls and minimizing lateral forces on the housing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sugar mill wherein the rams are not only adjustable in position laterally of the axis of the roll on which they act but over their range of adjustment move substantially normal to that axis, thereby enabling the rams to be shifted over their range of adjustment without substantial elongation of the journals of or variation of the bending stresses on the roll.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved sugar mill wherein each ram is made adjustable in position by eccentrically mounting it in a cylinder rotatable in the related cap, the mountings of the ram and the cylinder being such that the ram is eccentricaliy mounted but not itself eccentric, that the ram and cylinder can be applied and removed as a unit without removal of the related cap and that on removal of the unit the packing on the ram can be removed without removing the ram from the cylinder.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a sugar mill a ram-carrying cap that is releasably lockable without king pins to jaws of the associated housing, the interlock being such as not only to lock the cap against relative movement to the jaws but to prevent spreading of the latter.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the sugar mill of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the mill of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the mill of the preceding figures, the view being partly in side elevation and partly in a vertical section taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional View taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3 with portions in elevation to more clearly illustrate certain of the details of construction;

, FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view on the scale of FIGURES 3 and 4 with portions broken away and shown in a section taken along lines 55 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a view mainly in a horizontal section taken along lines 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved construction of the present invention is applicable to any plural roll sugar mill in which juice is expressed or eX- tracted from sugar cane by crushing or compressing the cane between a pressure roll and one or more back-up rolls. As exemplary of its applications, the improved construction has been applied to a three roll mill in which the pressure roll is a top roll 1 and the cane is compressed between that roll and a pair of back-up or side rolls, one a so-called cane roll 2 on the feed side of the 3,131,624 Patented May 5, 1964 "ice mill and the other a bagasse roll 3 on the discharge side. As in a conventional mill of that type, the top and side rolls 1, 2 and 3 are mounted or housed at their ends in a pair of transversely spaced counterpart housings or frames 4, only one of which is shown, the housings being bolted or otherwise fixed to and connected by a bedplate 5.

Designed to crush sugar cane between the top roll 1 and first one and then the other of the side rolls 2 and 3, the mill has its side rolls transversely, laterally or radially spaced and transfers or directs the cane mat from the nip or point of closest approach 6 of the top roll and the first side or cane roll to the nip 7 of the top roll and the second side or bagasse roll by a turnplate 8 mounted between the side rolls on a turnbeam 9 and adjustable in position transversely of the rolls by hooked bolt or like turnplate levers 10, one connected to each of the housings. For mounting them on each frame 4, each side roll 2 or 3 has its roll neck or journal 11 at that end journaled in a bearing (not shown) in a side journal box 12 slidable or shiftable horizontally parallel to the frame and radially of the roll in a side recess 13 in the housing for adjusting the minimum spacing between that roll and the top roll 1, each of the recesses opening onto the adjoining side of the housing and normally being closed at that side by a side cap 14. The corresponding journal or roll neck 15 of the top roll 1 is journaled in the housing in a journal bearing 16 in a top journal box 17, the journal box being shiftable vertically relative to the housing by mounting it in an upwardly opening top recess 18 between vertically extending parallel guides or guide or wear plates 19 on which it slides.

Urgeable downwardly by rams 20, one mounted in a top cap 21 on and normally closing the top recess 18 in each housing 4 and acting on the top or outer wall 22 of the related top journal box 17, the top roll 1 serves as the roll through which a force or load is applied to crush the cane between that roll and each of the side rolls. In a conventional sugar mill, both the top journal boxes 17 and their rams 20 can move only vertically relative to the housings 4 and the rams are aligned vertically with the axis of the top roll. As a consequence, the force line of the crushing force or load applied by the rams to the top roll in a conventional mill, while necessarily passing through the axis of that roll, is both fixed and vertical. On the contrary, because the resistance of the sugar cane mat to compression increases with increase in its compactness, the radial thrust or load between the top and second side rolls is greater than that between the top and first side rolls. Accordingly, the force line of the resultant of the radial thrusts or loads on the side rolls is offset above the axis of the first side or cane roll. In a conventional mill, the force lines of the applied and resultant loads thus are misor not aligned and this misalgnrnent and the relative inclination or obliquity of the force line of the resultant of the loads on the side rolls creates an unbalanced horizontal force or component toward the feed side of the mill which must be taken by the latters housings.

In the improved mill of the present invention, the above ditficulty with conventional mills is eliminated by making each ram adjustable or shiftable horizontally, laterally or radially longitudinally of its housing 4 and transversely of the top roll to any of a plurality of spaced positions in advance or on the feed, forward or front side of that axis. With the rams so adjustable, it there fore is possible not only to bring the force lines of the applied load and the resultant of the loads on the side rolls into substantial alignment for a given mill but to compensate for variations among mills due to manufacturing tolerances and thereby practically eliminate the imposition on the housings of an unbalanced side or lateral force or thrust acting horizontally or radially of each ram and parallel to the housings.

The radial, lateral or horizontal adjustability of each ram 20 relative to the axis of the top roll 1 preferably is accomplished by slidably or reciprocably mounting the ram in a cylindrical socket or bore 23 in a cylinder 24, eccentrically bored such that its inner and outer side walls 25 and 26 are cylindrical but eccentric, and rotatably mounting or seating the eccentric cylinder 24 in a correspondingly cylindrical aperture, opening or seat 27' extending axially through the top cap 21. Closed at its upper end by a top, upper or outer end wall 28 having a peripheral flange 29 extending or outstanding radially beyond its outer side wall 26 and carrying on its top wall upstanding means, conveniently in the form of either integral or separate spaced eyes or eye bolts 30, for receiving a suitable turning lever, bar or other suitable turning tool (not shown), the eccentric cylinder 24, on being rotated in its seat 27 in the top cap 21, will shift the centerline or axis of the related or associated ram 20 longitudinally of the housing 4 and laterally of the axis of the top roll 1 away from the side roll subjected to the greater thrust, here the bagasse roll 3 on the discharge side of the mill and correspondingly shift the direction of the applied force toward that side roll.

With the lateral adjustability of each ram 20 in the preferred embodiment dependent upon the eccentricity of its cylinder, the ram over its range of adjustment moves in an arcuate rather than a straight path and can be centered transversely or normal to the longitudinal centerline of the top cap 21 at one or, at best, two of the positions into which it is shiftable. Of these possible alternatives, the arrangement of the drawings illustrates the first in which the ram is centered trans versely on the top cap at the mid-position in its range of lateral adjustment and diverges from the caps longitudinal centerline toward either end or extreme of the range but with the divergence such that the lateral movement of the ram is in substantially a straight line. With the points of application of the load to the top roll 1 thus substantially fixed axially of the roll, the bending stresses on the top roll are substantially uniform regardless of the lateral position in which each ram is set and the journals of the roll require no appreciable elongation to accommodate the range of adjustment. The illustrated mid-position, transverse centering of the ram on the top cap 21 does not prevent the cylinder 24 from being centered longitudinally on the top cap but does require a transverse offsetting of the cylinder, that illustrated being on the order of for a range of adjustment of the offsetting of the axis of the ram in advance or on the feed side of the axis of the top roll in /s increments from /2 minimum to 1 /2" maximum.

To hold each ram 20 in the selected lateral position, the cylinder 24 is made lockable against rotation in any of the plurality of positions of the ram by suitable means such as the illustrated locking, setting or positioning flange 31. Integral with and outstanding radially from the top wall 28 of the cylinder, the flange 31 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures 32, one for each of the positions of the ram and each adapted to receive a lock or set bolt 33 threadable or screwable into-a bolt hole 34 in the underlying portion of the top cap. The particular or selected lateral position in which the ram is set preferably is visually indicated from one or each side of the housing 4, the latter conveniently by providing on opposite sides of a bevel 35 bounding or about the top wall 28 of the cylinder a pair of scales 36, one inside the locking flange and each showing or indicating against a fixed marker or pointed on the top cap the offset obtained by each of the apertures in the flange, the lock bolt 33, with its fixed position circumferentially of the aperture or seat 27, serv- 4- ing admirably as the pointer for the adjoining scale.

In the preferred construction, each ram 20 and its eccentric cylinder 24 are designed to be applied and removed not only with the top cap 21 but as a separate subassembly without disturbing the attachment between the top cap and the associated housing 4. This is facilitated by using the upper or outer end portion of the socket 23 in the cylinder between or bounded vertically or longitudinally by the latters top wall 22 and the upper or adjoining end of the ram as the pressure chamber 37 to which the actuating fluid is introduced through a suitable inlet, such as the boss-reinforced inlet port 38 in the top wall. Also, to hold the subassembly in assembled relation during application and removal, there is bolted or otherwise releasably attached to the lower end of the cylinder a stop, preferably in the form of a pair of stop or locking plates 39 instanding or projecting inwardly radially beyond the inner wall 25 of the cylinder and adapted to engage a normally overlying annular shoulder 39 on the ram.

With the ram releasably held in place by the stop plates 39, it remains, for practical application and removal of the ram and cylinder as an assembly, to enable the cylinder to be locked in its seat in the aperture 27 against axial movement relative to the top cap 21 and at the same time permit relative rotation between the cylinder and the top cap in the latters locked position so that the lateral position of the ram can be adjusted. To this end, the cylinder and top cap are made interlockable by a bayonet or like quick-release coupling conveniently in the form of a pair of wings or ears 41 outstanding radially from opposite sides of the cylinder and preferably having fiat, coplanar upper surfaces 42. The wings 41 are slidable or insertable through diametrically opposed slots 43 of corresponding spacing and configuration formed in the top cap at sides of the aperture 27 and opening downwardly onto an annular recess or cavity 44 encircling, engirdling or extending around the aperture and bounded upwardly, except for the interruption by the slots, by a preferably flat or planar annular upper wall or abutment 45. With this construction, application of the ram and cylinder assembly to the top cap 21 is simply a matter of sliding the cylinder into the aperture in the top cap in a position in which the wings 41 are aligned with the slots 43 and, after the wings have passed through the slots, turning or rotating the cylinder to a position in which the wings underlie the abutment 45 and so prevent upward movement of the cylinder, this overlapping relation between the abutment and the wings obtaining over the range of adjustment of the lateral position of the ram. For uniform bearing of the wings on the cylinder against the abutment on the top cap during operation of the mill, it is preferred that the flange 31 and the associated bolt 33 be positioned substantially midway, circumferentially, between the wings 41 and slots 43, respectively, and that the width of the wings be such that they will underlie and be contained within the lateral bounds of the abutment over the range of adjustment in the lateral position of the ram.

The removability of the ram 20 and cylinder 24 as an assembly or unit not only is without adverse effect upon the operation of the ram but has the definite advantage of enabling the ram or cylinder or both to be repaired or replaced without disturbing the connection between the top cap 21 and the housing 4. Particularly advantageous is the manner in which the gasket 46 sealing against leakage of actuating fluid between the ram and inner wall 25 of the cylinder can be replaced. With the gasket conveniently carried in an annular groove 47 in the cylindrical side, periphery or side wall 48 of the ram above and adjacent the shoulder 40, its replacement, unlike the sealing means for the ram of a conventional mill, does not require the ram to be removed entirely from its seat. Instead, on removal of the ram and cylinder assembly from the top cap and detachment or removal of the stop plates, 39, it is necessary to retract or withdraw the ram from its socket only sufiiciently to expose the gasket, thus preventing accidental scoring of the confronting sides 25 and 48 of the cylinder and ram. The confronting side walls 26 and 48 of the cylinder and ram will ordinarily be lubricated by the oil used as actuating fluid, the introduction of which into the pressure chamber on initial assembly is facilitated by providing in the top wall 28 an air bleed port 49 normally closed by a plug 50. With the lubricant spread over them by a plurality of axially spaced interconnected lubricant-retaining grooves 51 formed in the side wall of the ram above the gasket groove 47, the confronting side surfaces of the cylinder and ram are especially apt on exposure to pick up lint or other foreign matter. Consequently, the non-exposure of the side wall of the cylinder and limited exposure of that of the ram incident to replacement of the gasket 46, in addition to preventing possible scoring, avoids the usual need for cleaning these surfaces after the gasket has been replaced. The lubricant necessarily being contained by the gasket, wear or other deterioration on the lower portion of the side wall 26 of the cylinder against which the gasket 46 rubs or wipes can be minimized by forming that portion by a stainless steel or like corrosion and wear-resistant liner 52 for minimizing surface wear on the cylinder.

Each top cap 21 may be releasably locked to the laterally spaced upstanding or upright jaws 53 bounding or at sides of the top recess 18 in the associated or adjoining housing 4 in the conventional manner by a pair of king bolts (not shown), each extending transversely of the housing substantially parallel to the axis of the top roll through interfitting parts of the top cap and one of the jaws. However, for ease of assembly and disassembly, it is preferred to eliminate the need for king bolts and provide, instead, a direct interlock between the top cap and the jaws which, when the top cap is in place, eifectively prevents upward or outward movement of the cap relative to the jaws and, as well, eliminates any tendency of the jaws to spread under operating forces.

An interlock particularly suited for the purpose is that illustrated in which the opening in the housing 4 above, outwardly of or beyond the top recess 18 in which the top journal box 17 is received is enlarged or widened to form a channel or slot 54 centered laterally on the recess and opening endwise onto the inner or inboard and outer or outboard sides 55 of the housing. The channel 54 is bounded at the sides by longitudinally spaced, substantially flat or planar and parallel confronting walls or surfaces 56 on the jaws 53 which, in keeping with the greater width of the channel, are set back relative to the guides 19 at the sides of the underlying recess 18. Un-

dercutting or interrupting the confronting side walls 56 -of the channel 54 over the lower portion of the latter are a pair of grooves or recesses 57 which are coterrninous transversely with the jaws and preferably have substantially fiat or planar inner walls 58 parallel to each other and to the side walls.

Slidable from either end into the channel 54, the related top cap 21 over its lower portion is configured at the sides in correspondence with the side configuration of the channel. Thus, the lower portion of the top cap has at its sides substantially fiat or planar and parallel side faces or walls 59, each adapted to confront one of the side surfaces 56 on the jaws and, below and outstanding longitudinally of the housing from the side faces, a pair of oppositely directed feet, flanges or lugs 60 having substantially flat or planar and parallel outer faces 61 each adapted to confront one of the inner faces 58 of the grooves 57 in the jaws.

Fitting into or interfitting with and overlapped longitudinally by the jaws 53 by virtue of the projection of its feet into the grooves 57, the top cap 21, without more, would be held in seated position against upward or outward movement relative the jaws, regardless of the form of the vertically confronting, inwardly and outwardly facing walls interconnecting the surfaces and faces on the sides of the cap and the jaws. However, it is desirable that the vertically confronting upper or outer surfaces 62 and faces 63 bounding or defining the upper or outer extremities, respectively, of the grooves 57 and feet 60 and interconnecting the horizontally confronting side surfaces 56 and 58 and side faces 59 and 61 at least be fiat or planar and that each upper surface be parallel to the confronting upper face. Further, it is preferred that both the interconnecting surfaces 62 at the sides of the top cap and the interconnecting faces 63 at the sides of the channel converge downwardly or inwardly, thus forming a dovetail or wedge interlock between the top cap and the jaws which, as the vertically confronting surface and face at each side are drawn toward each other, will force the hori zontally confronting surfaces and faces at that side toward each other.

With the above interlock against upward or outward movement of the top cap relative to the jaws, it is only necessary to fix the cap and jaws against relative horizontal movement transversely of the housing and apply a force to pull the inclined or sloping upper surfaces 62 of the grooves 57, each against the correspondingly inclined or sloping, substantially parallel upper face 63 of the foot at that side of the top cap, to ensure that the top cap is releasably interlocked against any movement relative to the jaws and at the same time eliminate or counteract any tendency of the jaws to spread. In the illustrated embodiment, both the fixing of the top cap against movement transversely of the housing and pulling of the vertically confronting surfaces and faces into tight engagement are effected by the same means, a pair of jack screws 64 each projecting vertically through one of a pair of ears or lugs 65 outstanding horizontally from the top cap above and overlying or overlapping the upper ends of the jaws. With the jaws socketed or drilled to receive the lower ends of the jack screws, the latter, rather than the horizontally confronting surfaces and faces 56, 58, 59 and 61, can be depended on for maintaining the proper spacing between the jaws, in which case a slight clearance is provided between each of the surfaces 56 and 58 and the face 59 or 61 which it confronts.

Interlocked in the manner described with both the jaws 53 of the housing 4 and the eccentric cylinder 24, the top cap 21 serves as the reactance for the ram 20 when pressure is applied to the latter to force the top roll 1 downwardly toward the side rolls 2 and 3. As in the usual sugar mill, force from the ram preferably is applied to the top wall 22 of the top journal box 17 through an interposed bearing block 66 having flat surface contact with the top wall and a ball and socket or spherical interfit with the lower end of the ram for relative angling about the intersection of the axis of the ram with the horizontal centerplane of the top roll in order that the downward force will at all times be transmitted over extended surface areas rather than lines or points, regardless of the lateral position in which the ram is set. Although conventional in this respect, the mill of this invention, because of the projection of the top cap into the opening between the jaws 53, makes it possible to eliminate the distance piece usually required between the bearing block 66 and the housing. Also, the upper limit of movement or travel of the top roll 1 readily is fixed or set by providing on the top wall 22 adjacent its sides a plurality of pairs of travel stops or stop pieces 67 each confronting and at the upper limit of movement engaging a downwardly facing abutment 68 on the top cap.

From the above detailed description, it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved sugar mill, the top cap assembly of which not only is simple and rugged in construction and effective in operation but enables the downward force applied to the rams to be aligned substantially with the resultant of the forces on the side rolls with consequent minimizing of lateral stressings on the housings. It will be understood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included which do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a ram mounted on each of said housings for forcing a pressure roll downwardly toward a back-up roll, and eccentric means interposed between each ram and the related housing for selectively adjusting the position of said ram laterally relative to the axis of the pressure roll.

2. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a ram mounted on each of said housings for forcing a pressure roll downwardly toward the back-up rolls, and eccentric means spacing each ram from the related housing for selectively adjusting the position of said ram laterally relative to the axis of the pressure roll.

3. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a cap releasably locked to each housing and normally closing a recess therein wherein an end of a pressure roll is journaled, a ram carried by each cap for applying a force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll for forcing said roll toward a back-up roll, and eccentric means carried by and rotatable relative to each top cap and surrounding the related ram for selectively adjusting the position of said ram laterally relative to the axis of the pressure roll.

4. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a cap releasably locked to each housing and normally closing a recess therein wherein an end of a pressure roll is journaled, a ram carried by each cap for applying a force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll for forcing said roll toward a back-up roll, and eccentric means carried by each cap and slidably receiving related ram for selectively adjusting the position of said ram laterally relative to the axis of the pressure roll.

5. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a cap releasably locked to each housing and normally closing a recess therein wherein an end of a pressure roll is journaled, a ram carried by each cap for applying a force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll for forcing said roll toward a back-up roll, and an eccentric cylinder rotatably seated in each cap and slidably receiving the related ram for selectively adjusting the position of said ram laterally relative to the axis of the pressure roll.

6. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a cap releasably locked to each housing and normally closing a recess therein wherein an end of a pressure roll is journaled, a ram carried by each cap for applying a force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll for forcing said roll toward a back-up roll, and an eccentric cylinder releasably locked against outward movement and for rotation relative to said cap and slidably receiving said ram for selectively adjusting the position of said ram laterally relative to the axis of the pressure roll.

7. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising acap releasably locked to each housing and normally closing a recess therein wherein an end of a pressure roll is journaled, a ram carried by each cap for applying a force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll for forcing said roll toward a back-up roll, and an eccentric cylinder releasably locked against outward movement and for rotation relative to said cap and slidably receiving said ram for selectively adjusting the position of said ram laterally relative to the axis of the pressure roll, said cylinder and ram as a unit being applica le to and removable from said cap.

8. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a cap releasably locked to each housing and normally closing a recess therein wherein an end of a pressure roll is journaled, a ram carried by each cap for applying an inward force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll, an eccentric cylinder releasably locked against outward movement and for rotation relative to said cap and slidably receiving said ram for selectively adjusting the position of said ram laterally relative to the axis of the pressure roll, and means releasably attached to said cylinder for limiting axial movement of said ram relative thereto.

9. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a cap releasably locked to each housing and normally closing a recess therein wherein an end of a pressure roll is journaled, a ram carried by each cap for applying an inward force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll, an eccentric cylinder releasably locked against outward movement and for rotation relative to said cap and slidably receiving said ram for selectively adjusting the position of said ram laterally relative to the axis of the pressure roll, an outer wall on said cylinder and defining with an adjoining end of said ram longitudinal limits of a pressure chamber for receiving fluid for actuating said ram, and means releasably attached to said cylinder for limiting axial movement of said ram relative thereto.

10. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a cap releasably locked to each housing and normally closing a recess therein wherein an end of a pressure roll is journaled, a ram carried by each cap for applying an inward force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll, an eccentric cylinder releasably locked against outward movement and for rotation relative to said cap and slidably receiving said ram, said cylinder being rotatable relative to said cap into any of a plurality of circumferentially spaced positions for selectively adjusting the position of the axis of said ram laterally relative to the axis of said pressure roll, and means for locking said cylinder against rotation in any of said positions.

11. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, the improvement comprising a cap releasably locked to each housing and normally closing a recess therein wherein an end of a pressure roll is journaled, a ram carried by each cap for applying an inward force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll, an eccentric cylinder seatable in an aperture in said cap for rotation relative thereto, wings outstanding from said cylinder and insertable through slots in said housing into underlying relation with an abutment therein for releasably locking said cylinder against outward movement and for rotation relative to said cap, said cylinder having an eccentric cylindrical bore opening inwardly and closed at its outer end for slidably receiving said ram, and means on said cap and cooperating with means on said cylinder for locking said cylinder against rotation in any of a plurality of circumferentially spaced positions and thereby selectively adjusting the position of the axis of said ram laterally relative to the axis of said pressure roll.

12. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, and a recess in each housing for slidably receiving a movable journal box journaling an end of a pressure roll, the improvement comprising a channel extending transversely through each housing beyond said recess therein, a cap slidable into said channel from an end thereof, fixed means at sides of said cap and interlocking with fixed means at sides of said channel for locking said cap against outward movement relative to said housing, releasable means acting against said housing and outwardly on said cap for forcing said fixed means into engagement and releasably locking said cap and housing against relative movement, a ram carried by said cap and acting through said journal box for applying an inward force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll, and means carried by said cap and interposed between said cap and said ram for selectively adjusting the position of the axis of said ram laterally relative to the axis of said pressure roll.

13. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, and a recess in each housing for slidably receiving a movable journal box journaling an end of a pressure roll, the improvement comprising a channel extending transversely through each housing above said recess therein and bounded at sides by longitudinally spaced jaws, a cap slidable into said channel from an end thereof, means integral with and outstanding from sides of said cap and slidably received in grooves in confronting sides of said jaws for locking said cap against outward movement relative to said jaws, releasable means carried by said cap beyond and acting inwardly on said jaws, said releasable means cooperating with said outstanding means and grooves for releasably locking said cap against movement relative to said jaws, a ram carried by said cap and acting through said journal box for applying an inward force to an adjoining end of said top roll, and eccentric means carried by said cap and interposed between said cap and said ram for selectively adjusting the position of the axis of said ram laterally relative to the axis of said pressure roll.

14. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, and a top recess in each housing for slidably receiving a movable journal box journaling an end of a pressure roll, the improvement comprising a channel extending transversely through each housing beyond said recess therein and bounded at sides by longitudinally spaced jaws, a cap slidable into said channel from an end thereof, means integral with and outstanding from sides of said cap and wedgingly engaging means integral with and at confronting sides of said jaws for limiting outward movement of said cap relative to said jaws, releasable means carried by said cap beyond and acting inwardly on said jaws, said releasable and integral means coacting for locking said cap and jaws against relative movement and preventing spreading of said jaws, a ram carried by said cap and acting through said journal box for applying an inward force to an adjoining end of said pressure roll, and eccentric means carried by said cap and interposed between said cap and said ram for selectively adjusting the position of the axis of said ram laterally relative to the axis of said pressure roll.

15. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, and a recess in each housing for slidably receiving a movable journal box journaling an end of the pressure roll, the improvement comprising a channel extending transversely through each housing beyond said recess therein and bounded at sides by longitudinally spaced jaws, a cap slidable into said channel from an end thereof, flanges integral with and outstanding from opposite sides of said cap and each received in a groove in a confronting side of one of said jaws, inwardly converging outer surfaces on said grooves confronting and engageable with correspondingly converging outer faces on said flanges, releasable means carried by said cap beyond and releasably engaging said jaws for locking said cap and jaws against movement transversely of said housing, said releasable means acting inwardly on said jaws for pulling said faces and surfaces into engagement and thereby locking said cap and jaws against relative outward movement and preventing spreading of said jaws, a ram carried by said cap and acting through said journal box for applying an inward force to an adjoining end of said roll, and eccentric means carried by said cap and interposed between said cap and said ram for selectively adjusting the position of the axis of said ram laterally relative to the axis of said pressure roll.

16. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, and a recess in each housing for slidably receiving a movable journal box journaling and end of the pressure roll, the improvement comprising a channel extending transversely through each housing beyond said recess therein and bounded at sides by longitudinally spaced jaws, a ram carrying cap slidable into said channel from an end thereof, flanges integral with and outstanding from opposite sides of said cap and each received in a groove in a confronting side of one of said jaws, inwardly converging outer surfaces on said grooves confronting and engageable with correspondingly converging outer faces on said flanges, releasable means carried by said cap outwardly of and releasably engaging said jaws for locking said cap and jaws against movement transversely of said housing, said releasable means acting outwardly on said cap inwardly on said jaws for pulling said faces and surfaces into engagement and thereby locking said cap and jaws against relative outward movement and preventing spreading of said jaws.

17. In a sugar mill having pressure and back-up rolls mounted between transversely spaced housings, and a recess in each housing for slidably receiving a movable journal box journalling an end of the pressure roll, the improvement comprising a channel extending transversely through each housing beyond said recess therein, a cap slidable into said channel from an end thereof, fixed means at sides of said .cap and interlocking with fixed means at sides of said channel for locking said cap against outward movement relative to said housing, and releasable means acting outwardly on said cap and inwardly on said housing for forcing said fixed means into engagement and releasably locking said cap and housing against relative movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 719,562 Brush Feb. 3, 1903 1,074,159 Bolk Sept. 30, 1913 1,213,573 Armstrong Ian. 23, 1917 1,284,627 Ewart et a1 Nov. 12, 1918 1,372,006 De Bruin Mar. 22, 1921 

1. IN A SUGAR MILL HAVING PRESSURE AND BACK-UP ROLLS MOUNTED BETWEEN TRANSVERSLY SPACED HOUSINGS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A RAM MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID HOUSINGS FOR FORCING A PRESSURE ROLL DOWNWARDLY TOWARD A BACK-UP ROLL, AND ECCENTRIC MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN EACH RAM AND THE RELATED HOUSING FOR SELECTIVELY ADJUST- 